“I sent for you, Hampdon,� began Pimball insolently, and his failure to ‘mister’ me or to give me any title indicated our present relations—and of course I expressed no resentment over his disrespect—“because o’ that,� he pointed to the leeward toward the island, which we were now sufficiently close to see easily in the growing light, and to which we were rapidly drawing nearer. “What do you make of it?�
“It looks like land,� I said to gain time.
“It is land, of course,� he rejoined impatiently, “but what land?�
“How can I tell?� I answered evasively. “I have never been in these seas before.�
“Well, you took a shot at the sun yesterday, didn’t you?�
“Certainly.�
“An’ where were we?�
I named a latitude and longitude, not exactly what I had worked out but near enough. For obvious reasons I didn’t want these ruffians to know exactly where we were or to have any accurate information on any subject. He pulled out the chart as I spoke and compared its figures with those I had given them. Evidently he could read figures if not letters.
“At any rate,� he said after studying over the map for a little time, “that ain’t far from the p’int we’re makin’ for, is it?�
“No,� I admitted, “not very.�